Occupational Obesity - Sumo Wrestlers, Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers
First published in 2008 - Last edited in May 2022 by Luka Tunjic. © All rights reserved.
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Occupational Obesity - Sumo Wrestlers
Taking a look at Sumo wrestlers, it can be noticed that apart from excessive body weight, their musculoskeletal system has an unusual shape.
Sumo Wrestler - In a standing position (Upright position)
1. They have an excessive inward curvature of the neck (cervical) spine.
2. They have an excessive outward curvature of the middle and upper back (thoracic) spine.
3. They also have an excessive inward curvature of the low back (lumbar) spine.
4. Their pelvis is excessively rolled forward.
Sumo Wrestler - During wrestling practice and competition - (Semi-upright position)
1. They have an excessive inward curvature of the neck (cervical) spine.
2. They have an excessive curvature of the middle and upper back (thoracic) spine.
3. Also, they have a flattened low back (lumbar) spine.
4. When they are standing or walking, their pelvis is in a semi-horizontal position.
It can be noticed that the heavier they are, the musculoskeletal changes become more visible. The most visible musculoskeletal changes are the excessive curvature of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.
When the curvature of their cervical spine is more excessive, their neck is shorter. Particularly with sumo wrestlers that have an excessive body mass that is above average, their neck is so short that is almost not visible.
Almost everyone believes that the sumo diet is responsible for their body weight, but if it is the sumo-diet that makes their body weight then Sumo Wrestlers should continue to gain weight. The fact is, their weight stabilises at some point without reduced food intake and without increasing physical activity.
The reason for overweight and obesity among sumo wrestlers is their occupational physical activity. Their occupational physical activity induces adverse musculoskeletal changes.
Restriction of food intake or any other diet for weight loss will not do any good for weight loss, as it doesn’t work for the rest of the population that have weight problems.
According to the Japan Sumo Association, “In 1953, the average weight of a sumo wrestler was 317 pounds, while the average height was 5-foot 11. Today, the average wrestler is just 3.2 inches taller, but 95 pounds heavier.”
The recent increase in the average weight of sumo wrestlers cannot be attributed to their occupation but to a man-made environment which promotes adverse musculoskeletal changes.
Modern upholstered sitting furniture like the armchair, sofa and couch promotes adverse musculoskeletal changes that are very similar to adverse musculoskeletal changes induced by sumo wrestling.
Occupational physical occupation activity is the main reason for obesity in sumo wrestlers. The man-made environment (modern upholstered sitting furniture) is a contributing factor.
There is no diet or drug that will reverse the unnatural curvature of the cervical spine, the thoracic spine or other adverse musculoskeletal changes.
The only way to regain a natural body weight is to regain the musculoskeletal system’s natural shape.
Almost everyone believes that the sumo diet is responsible for their body weight, but if it is the sumo-diet that makes their body weight then Sumo Wrestlers should continue to gain weight. The fact is, their weight stabilises at some point without reduced food intake and without increasing physical activity.
Occupational Obesity - Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers
The higher prevalence of obesity among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers has been wrongly attributed to poorer eating habits and a lack of exercise.
Side note:
Overweight and obese people from low socioeconomic status are diagnosed with poorer eating habits and (gluttony) and lack of exercise (sloth).
Overweight and obese people from higher socioeconomic status usually are diagnosed with thyroid problems, a side effect from medication, genetic etc.
Housework, nursing, occupational manual works are in many cases very physically demanding. This obvious fact is that the higher prevalence of obesity among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers cannot be attributed to insufficient physical activity.
The reason for overweightness and obesity among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers is in their occupational physical activity. Their occupational physical activity promotes adverse musculoskeletal changes.
1. Work like cooking, ironing, washing dishes, and caring for Bed-Bound Patients, like most other manual work demands a lean-forward posture (working lean-forward posture) to be maintained for most time during their work shift.
A working lean-forward posture in a standing position, and while walking, is possible to maintain only when the pelvis is, to some extent, rolled forward. Otherwise, it will be very hard or impossible to maintain a balanced standing and walking posture.
A working lean-forward while standing or walking causes an excessive inward curvature of the lumbar spine.
An excessive inward curvature of the lumbar spine causes an excessive outward curvature of the thoracic spine and an excessive inward curvature of the cervical spine.
Occupational work like housework, nursing and many kinds of manual work for a prolonged time causes adverse musculoskeletal changes, and that is the cause for the higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers.
Just a brief looks on overweight and obese people shows that all of them are affected with adverse musculoskeletal changes.
Postural characteristics of overweight and obese people in a still standing and walking position
1) Pelvis is excessively rolled forward.
2) Excessive inward curvature of the lower back (lumbar) spine.
3) Excessive outward curvature of the middle and upper back (thoracic) spine.
4) Excessive inward curvature of the neck (cervical) spine.
Postural characteristics of overweight and obese people in sitting position
1) Pelvis is excessively rolled backwards.
2) Flattened lower back (lumbar) spine.
3) Excessive outward curvature of the middle and upper back (thoracic) spine.
4) Excessive inward curvature of the neck (cervical) spine.
Adverse musculoskeletal changes in Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers are not induced by physical inactivity, but they are induced by physical activity which is necessary to perform for their occupational tasks.
There is no ground to think that adverse musculoskeletal changes are caused by eating too much or by eating the wrong food because it is obvious that no diet, drugs, vitamins, etc. will reverse adverse musculoskeletal changes.
Without reversing or reducing adverse musculoskeletal changes it is impossible to reduce or reverse excessive weight gain.
Since ancient times, people were doing housework, nursing, and manual work but still, obesity was rare (among children and young people it was unknown). If obesity was rare, then the reasonable question is: what is the cause for that just a few decades ago housework, nursing and manual work didn’t produce such a dramatic change to the musculoskeletal system? The answer is, the modern upholstered sitting furniture is the main factor responsible for the drastic adverse musculoskeletal changes among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers and their occupation is the contributing factor.
The modern upholstered sitting furniture is the main factor for the epidemic of obesity among the general population as it is among Housewives, Nurses and Manual Workers. Certain occupations are a contributing factor.
The reason for the higher prevalence of obesity among Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers is in their occupational physical activity.
The article “Occupational Obesity - Sumo Wrestler” and the article “Occupational Obesity - Housewives, Nurses and Manuel Workers” is published in the Book: “Mechanical Stimulation Low-Grade Inflammation Weight Gain”
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